Reviewed resources for teaching about climate and energy

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Atmosphere Design Lab

This interactive exposes students to Earth's atmospheric gases of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ozone. As the user manipulates the interactive to increase or decrease the concentration of each gas, explanations and images are provided that explain and visualize what the Earth would be like in each scenario.

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Notes From Our Reviewers

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Comments from expert scientist: There is only little science in this presentation, which is probably appropriate for a broad audience. The comparison with Mars and Venus is good because it suggests that we understand quite well that CO2 is an important factor in setting the temperature. What's more, that suggestion reflects the truth. The last two illustrations ("where does O2 come from" and the "elixir of life") under "oxygen" are excellent.

Technical Details

Educator could divide class into gas teams to explore each one of these scenarios, then report back to the rest of the class.

Combine interactive with other resources on the site to support a deeper understanding of the content.